Seeing the Edge with NW Marketing Guy - Rod Brooks

There's not a lot of Valentine Card sharing that goes between coworkers... Especially out in the open. Today I received one from two of the women that I rely on. Here's the card and the note that I sent back to them.

Hi ladies,

I can’t get the card out of my mind. The two of you touched me this morning. Thanks.

Sometime in the last month, while in a meeting that I don’t remember now, the thought about analytics and passion appeared. I can’t even remember if I heard it or thought it. Either way, what I do remember is that it resonated with me and I shared it via Twitter and Facebook. I had several people respond to me that it resonated with as well.

To see that thought used in your card today made it all that much more powerful. I just want to tell you that. Thanks again.

Seattle, The Emerald City Turns Crimson This Weekend

This spirited WSU Cougar video was prepared by alums, faculty and students on the WSU Vancouver campus. It was shown at the WSU Foundation Trustee luncheon yesterday and was played again (by popular demand) at the Foundation Gala last night. I was lucky to be in the front of the room and with my iPhone available to capture the second viewing.

The Cougs play the OSU Beavers in "The Seattle Game" at CenturyLink Field tonight. So... tonight's gonna be a good good night... Go Cougs!

No kidding. I’m not the only one making this journey at our house and the other person, (I won’t name names), was having some issues with our scale. It just didn’t seem to show the right numbers! When stepped on, the old scale would display the letters ERR. I have a hunch that just meant error, but it was interpreted as “Hey you heavyweight… Get off my back!”

So the quest for a scale that wasn’t so offensive was on. A new scale was purchased but it would seldom create the same reading two times in a row. It was returned. And this is the best part, my loving wife asked the sales person at Bed, Bath, and Beyond to come over to the scale display and step on each scale two times each. She was looking for one that would get the same weight twice. He accommodated and now we have a fancy new scale.

By the way, the old white one, consistently says I weigh two pounds lighter. But I love my wife, and we’re using the new one!

I was able to leave the office a little earlier than usual last Friday and as a result, I was the first one to arrive at home. Our dog, Chloe, appeared much more anxious to get outside than normal, but when a dog needs to go out, you don’t second-guess her. I opened the door and out onto the deck and into the lawn she bolted. “Wow,” I thought, “she really needed to go!”

I went upstairs to change clothes and that’s when I heard Chloe barking. So much so that it struck me as very unusual. Looking out the window, I saw what all the commotion was about - something that explained why Chloe was excited and barking.

Do lakes have low tides?

We've all heard them. Phrases like, "The cup is half full" or "When the world gives you lemons, make lemonade?" In a way, that is what "seeing the edge" is all about - looking hard to find an advantage in whenever possible. I found myself in a situation like that this past weekend.

Cindy and I were making our annual pre-season trip to Lake Chelan to get things set up for Memorial Day weekend - the traditional kick off to a spring and summer season of good times on, in and around the water. We had heard that the water level was low, but we weren't really expecting to see what we saw.

So what's the edge to take away from that? When you've been cheated by Mother Nature how do you find an advantage? We'll we only had to look beyond the dock and the rocks and the empty lake bed to see it. It was the perfect time to do maintenance on the buoy chains used to anchor our paddle boat and floats. It's something we wouldn't have been able to do if the lake had be at a more desirable height.

Goosebumps? I can show you goosebumps!

My wife Cindy and I are members of a timeshare community in which "points" that we purchace are good for use at various condominium units around the US, Mexico and Canada. We love the flexability and the venues. We've been to Palm Springs, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, and Santa Fe.

Did you discover that everyone else had the same need, and all the outlets were being used?

Gain an edge by carrying one of the "orange outlet thingies" that turn one outlet into three.

It's a really great way to power up and make new friends at the same time.

Note: I was given an "orange thingie" by my friend Andy Sernovitz at a conference his company hosted last year. I've been carrying it ever since. I seem to make a new friend and start a conversation every time I pull it out of my bag! Thanks Andy.

The Fine Print

Rod Brooks (that's me) is VP & CMO of PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company and serves as Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors for the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA). It's important to disclose both of those relationships and to be clear that this is my personal blog where I share thoughts and opinions that are solely my own.Contact me!